Daredevil Was Still Canceled Despite Being One of Netflix's Biggest Hits

The Marvel world mourned last week as it was announced, somewhat unexpectedly (but also kind of expectedly) that Daredevil had been canceled after just three seasons. What was widely considered not only just the best Marvel Netflix series, but one of the better things in all of the wider-ranging Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, has been axed after a very successful season 3 launch. But what's more surprising is that, according to the numbers, Daredevil was actually one of Netflix's biggest hits overall.

Netflix, very famously, doesn't release any actual ratings numbers of any kind. And they claim that no third party service can accurately report on their numbers. With that said, a new report states that Daredevil is the fourth highest in-demand series on the streaming service. It places behind the drug cartel drama Narcos, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Stranger Things. The service who came up with the rankings looks at a range of factors and ultimately, Daredevil came out far ahead of any other Marvel series on Netflix.

This becomes an issue of insult to injury. Netflix and Marvel had already canceled both Luke Cage and Iron Fist, but neither of those shows was as popular as Daredevil. And in the case of Iron Fist, critics largely weren't having it, even after a much-improved sophomore season. But why would Netflix give the ax to such a popular show? The answer is probably that the ball was, to some degree, out of their court.

Disney, the parent company of Marvel, made Daredevil in partnership with Netflix. Disney is currently in the process of gearing up for the launch of their own streaming service, Disney+, which is set to debut next year. While it's already been revealed that the canceled shows from Netflix won't make their way to Disney+, the Mouse House didn't want to help out the competition. It's the only explanation for doing away with a show that is so appealing for their subscribers.

There is some solace for fans, as it was promised in the cancellation announcement that Matt Murdock (though not necessarily portrayed by Charlie Cox depending on how things shake out) would return at some point. The streaming service also has The Punisher season 2 and Jessica Jones season 3 on the way, but those will likely face swift cancelation as well once their new seasons arrive. The Netflix era of Marvel, so it would seem, is dying a slow, painful death. Luckily, Disney+ is working on Marvel shows for characters like Loki, Scarlet Witch and more, which could help ease the sting a bit. Be sure to check out the full list of the top ten most in-demand digital shows from Parot Analytics below.

Writer of various things on the internet (mostly about movies) since 2013. Major lover of popcorn flicks. Avid appreciator of James Bond, Marvel and Star Wars. Has a tremendously fat cat named Buster and still buys CDs. I’ve got my reasons.

Daredevil Was Still Canceled Despite Being One of Netflix's Biggest Hits